The Outer God Needs Warmth-Chapter 183: Deep Under The Sea (8)

In the end, a week passed by without any events.

Considering I threw the witch's treasure, there hasn't been much movement. Of course, the treasure is a cruel and merciless weapon.

I believe that if a person were to use it, they would make good use of it.

Perhaps a small number of people were sent ahead to acquire the witch's treasure, but as far as I know, to learn about it, I'd have to return to that place.

The valuables in the castle?

They're just metallic substances. Even if the world were to break, you could create a gold lump the size of the sun, so would it even be necessary?

I don't have ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) much material desire.

If the body were just a simple game avatar, it might at least have been fun to decorate it.

But this isn't such a place.

It's like creating some sort of curse, a place where you'd starve for days, with only your head sticking out and your body buried in the ground, and food placed just out of reach.

And even if it's impossible to reach, you know that the moment you stretch out your tongue to touch the food, your throat will be slit.

So, I endure.

If there’s a reason, I can endure.

By gritting my teeth and enduring, gradually, a faint warmth comes in.

By enduring, I received a reward.

I hold onto that as a pillar and endure desperately. But it’s okay to smell it, right? It’s okay to look at it, right?

So, just a little more actively.

I create a harvest period.

In this state, if I were to receive a psychological evaluation, anyone would call this madness.

Therefore, material things don't matter.

The only hope that matters is the warmth that will come to me in the future.

With that mindset, and honestly, once I can manipulate reality, I truly lose interest in such material things. Though there's a small flaw that could cause the world to break due to the shock.

Instead, knowledge becomes more valuable.

Perhaps the reason I turn people into harvesters is partly due to the element of knowledge collection.

The memories start shining more.

Memories don't really feel like a consciousness saying, "Is this it?" rather, it's closer to the feeling of a search engine that spins each moment, highlighting the words searched.

But in specific situations, there's a strangely uniform shining feeling, and perhaps that's because we share the same experience.

Or maybe, like Maleficent, it's a fresh memory that's been recently acquired and immediately referenced after a search.

Anyway.

I have a good memory, and my search ability is excellent.

So, do you know what happens?

"Test paper, I will walk." "Ahhhh~"

I can take the test just fine even without studying.

The day after the week-long school break. As soon as class started, I took the test. It wasn't even a pop quiz, but a midterm.

From the morning, the teacher made a ruthless declaration, and the light in the eyes of the students who had returned to the classroom after a long time disappeared.

Despair and sorrow filled the air, and only the rustling sound could be heard this morning.

For reference, I solved the questions simply.

If they had asked me an unsolved question or something requiring application, it might have been a problem, but simple memorization wasn't an issue.

However, since it's the Royal Academy, half of the questions were simple. If you get all the difficult ones wrong, it’s half done.

I wrote as much as I could, so at least I’ll get an average score.

That aside, no one noticed that Merriweather had disappeared until the end of the test.

It was like no one knew such a person existed. She even disappeared from attendance.

That alone shows how powerful Maleficent was as a witch.

According to Maleficent’s memory, if you manipulate cognition, non-existent documents can appear. It wasn't a strange magical thing like science, but really magic that changes the world.

So, it seems no one knew.

Even if there was something to be received, I don’t really know, but I guess I received it, so I just let it go.

Unless a fatal contradiction like finding Merriweather's body occurs, it’s said to be hard to break easily.

This witch.

She was a witch strong enough to tire someone out if they were to face her.

If she were human.

If it were against Daegon, after the chaotic battle, it would be quite—no, yes. It’s said that there are techniques specialized in handling such beings.

There’s nothing more dangerous than a strong entity that hasn’t even realized its own weaknesses since they’ve never fought similar opponents.

Well, the moment the top predator drops one tier to a higher predator, it’s not that surprising to be slaughtered in an instant.

It’s like how, when an enemy enters an island where there has been no predator for hundreds of generations, species just go extinct without being able to do anything.

Basically, if there's no survival instinct engraved, they disappear without a trace.

Even Maleficent, who seemed to have superior intelligence, probably followed the same pattern.

Even the ancient Heavenly Sovereigns have a few memories of hunting such wicked beings.

Cross-referencing, it’s surprisingly common that those born strong without experiencing failure are generally considered gifts.

Gifts, meaning materials to supply.

A world full of murderous intent is frightening.

Anyway.

After the test, I was about to go see Victoria, who was sitting with her soul drained, but someone blocks my path.

Frigia Tabakian Shekal.

She perked up the triangular ears above her head and stood in front of me.

"Bell. Sir Shiodor calls you."

Her attitude was stiff, but much softer than before.

Ah, now that I think about it, Kanna, who returned to the capital over the weekend, told Frigia to bring me. I must have forgotten since it’s the next day.

"Yes."

I waved slightly at Victoria, who had to go to the Wind-Up Knight School in the evening, and followed Frigia.

From the main gate, through the central hall to the left. Go straight into the west, turn 90 degrees left, and proceed straight. Then, enter the innermost room among the various rooms.

"Did you come?"

Oh? Kanna Temrane Shiodor?

I thought she hadn’t changed, but hearing it directly is different. Her voice is over 30% brighter compared to the last time we met.

Perhaps it’s because she tried to leave the Shiodor family, but they desperately held onto her.

Or maybe it’s because the fact that she can move her body and do something is refreshing. Or perhaps it’s both, but the resignation she had stuck to her body has completely disappeared, leaving only a fresh smile.

Hmm~?

Hmm. It might be difficult to read her thoroughly just from her gaze.

I think she hasn’t changed when observed from Kanna’s perspective. But comparing directly like this, there’s clearly a difference.

Is it hard to feel the changes in oneself unless you see it as a number? Or maybe because all five senses are synchronized, it’s difficult to feel the slow changes?

I didn’t expect to discover such a flaw.

Reading emotions from someone else’s gaze wasn't a perfect technique after all.

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That’s that, but first, I’ll greet her.

"Hello."

"You really haven't changed. Come, sit."

Frigia silently bowed her head and went out. Kanna glanced at her with a look of regret. But once the door closed, she immediately turned around and walked to a nearby cart carrying food and a kettle.

Then, she poured tea into an empty cup where my gaze reached.

According to Kanna's memory, when nobles meet, they do this.

A gift? Poisoning.

Additionally, there’s a hidden sinister etiquette, like "Can you recognize what I’m giving you?"

If you respond saying it’s good to use this material, you’ll be treated as ignorant if you don’t return the favor, but I completely ignore that.

Kanna doesn’t care about such things either.

The etiquette is so engraved in her soul that it feels natural, and the slight aversion I sensed during our first meeting was actually self-loathing.

According to the memory, it wasn’t directed at me.

Even reading emotions isn't perfect.

Even when discovering flaws in the tool I used, I don’t feel a sense of discomfort because I’ve always made passive, safety-seeking choices.

Yeah. If I had gone around saying "I can read people’s emotions, so controlling people is easy," I would have made a fatal mistake somewhere.

In fact, if I had been a normal noble, I would have ignored all proper etiquette, and I wouldn’t have minded drinking the beverage she gave me.

"Is it good? I usually drink this near home, but it’s hard to find here, so I brought a lot."

For reference, the drinks near Kanna’s home are mixed with strong alcohol.

And she was the one drinking that. When she drinks alone in her room, it’s in her hometown style. This person.

By the way, in this world, alcohol and tobacco are not banned for minors.

In fact, if you consume the proper amount, it's considered healthy medicine.

"Are you doing what you really want to do?"

I paused for a moment before asking.

Upon hearing my words, Kanna blinked a few times before smiling brightly.

"Yes. I’m doing exactly what I want."

"It was worth giving me."

If it's my desire, I'd prefer the ruling class to be dirtier and full of greed, moving with material desires. But I’ve kind of let go of the current harvest period.

The supply is coming from Vern City, and as rebellion groups are being formed in real-time, the blood will flow like a river.

It will definitely be warm.

Hehe.

"I’m actually more grateful. Besides, you fought with a terrifying witch in the capital, right? How was it?"

Ah.

I see. She must have wanted to ask this.

There’s no hidden noble conspiracy or plot. She’s just looking at me with sparkling eyes full of pure curiosity.

Moreover, her emotional distance toward me has drastically shortened.

So, thinking it might be okay, I described Maleficent’s current state with my hand.

"Maleficent has become this crown."

"Ah... I see."

Her emotional distance widened again.